I’ve been wanting to build up the ultimate commuter for some time now. Originally, I was stoked on the Civia Hyland. When I was ready to pull the trigger, they stopped producing it. This changed my direction to the Bryant. It was the most bang for the buck and is an attractive bike too. I fashioned the front end after Gier Ander’s Civia Hyland. I really loved his use of the rack to mount a front light and a basket. Gier’s advice on how useful a simple basket can be, had me sold. There’s a basket on the way, but I haven’t mounted it yet. An Alfine 11 speed was considered but it was too much for the budget right now. I’ll probably want it in the future for the hills of Encinitas, CA. Otherwise, I’m stoked on everything else. It rides like a dream and I can’t wait to put many thousands of miles on it.

• Frame & Fork: Civia Bryant 54mm
• Wheels: Velocity reflective Dyads
• Front Hub: Alfine Dynamo
• Rear Hub: Alfine 8 speed
• Brakes: Avid BB7 disk
• Tires: Schwalbe Marathon 32mm
• Stem: Performance Forte 90mm
• Handlebars: Salsa Bend 2 23 degree
• Seatpost: Civia
• Saddle: Soma Ensho
• Cranks: Civia w/ 42T
• Pedals: Performance cheapies
• Rear rack: Civia Market
• Front rack: Racktime Topit
• Front light: Busch & Muller Lumotec IQ Cyo R N
• Rear light: Busch & Muller Top Light Line Plus
• Fenders: Civia Market

—Chris

www.chrisgilesphoto.com
www.alpineweddingphotography.com

I purchased this 1974 Raleigh Sport from a man who hadn’t ridden the 3-speed since moving from the flats of Virginia Beach to the hills of Charlottesville in the early 1980s. It sat rusting with it’s original Norfolk and Richmond bike license stickers. After a complete rehab – tires, bearings, new chain, cables, rust removal and polishing – it now serves as my main commuter for a ~5-8 mile / day daily trip through downtown Charlottesville where the limited gearing span is no problem. The fenders, chain guard, and upright stance make riding in a suit and tie feasible. For nighttime visibility, to supplement my helmet light I added an old Royce Union dynamo and light set (rigging up the broken taillight with a salvaged LED, resistor, and a red reflector cover from a jogging blinky light), an old Cateye headlight, and a new Planet Bike fender-mounted blinky light. I indulged in a new Brooks saddle and bought a way-too-robust double-legged kickstand. Although not a pristine restoration, the chipped patina, in my opinion, is handsome and ensures that I will not sweat if someone dings it a bit in the inadequate bike parking at my workplace. Next step: an vintage-appropriate back cargo rack so that I don’t need to wear a backpack.

—Mark

This is my beloved townie that sits behind my desk at work and ventures out on a daily basis to fetch lunch, groceries and general duties. Like most things it’s still a work in progress and I plan to tidy it up a bit more over time. The frame is an ex local postal service unit that I purchased from a market and that’s where the project started. I had the frame powder coated by a local cycling friend who owns the business and understands how to get a high quality finish. It’s truly an outstanding job. The stem, bars, chain guard, stand and rack are all sourced from Velo Orange. Seat pole is a generic BMX post as I struggled to source a good quality 25.4mm unit at the time. Saddle is Brooks and cranks are Shimano 600s. Wheels are generics I picked up cheap and the basket is from the local office supplies store spray painted black. Finally the fenders are second hand units I sprayed myself. I knocked the whole thing together but over time it will evolve. Someone at work asked me if I was going to grab a bottle of red wine and a breadstick! I guess that sums it up.

—Steve O’Brien
Melbourne, Australia

Spring ride on the Hockanum Rail Trail in central Ct. Kogswell P/R, 650b, TA cranks, Phil hubs, Brooks Pro saddle. My true companion!

—Anthony Spina

I recently acquired this 1965 Schwinn Deluxe Racer in Radiant Coppertone. The rear hub is a Bendix 2 speed kickback- yellow band. Originally the bike had black grips and saddle but the previous owner found matching replacements. The Coppertone paint is stunning against the bright chrome parts. The frame is on the smaller side for me, but it doesn’t matter much for my rides to the local stores and work.

—Clancy Anderson

I thought I’d share some pics of my “new” bicycle. This is a Craigslist purchase I picked up over the summer – a 1980 Schwinn World Tourist five-speed. I wanted something I could have fun setting up as my ideal commuter/carrier/city bike without spending a fortune, and I’m quite happy with how it turned out.

I haven’t found much info on this bike, but it was evidently intended as a successor to the ubiquitous and indestructible Suburban after Schwinn began moving production to Taiwan. Given that it’s about to turn 32 years old, I’d say it’s proving every bit as solid as its predecessor.

It’s an absolute joy to ride. The bike itself is entirely stock: Giant-built lugged frame (mine is 23.5″), a mix of Shimano/Sugino components, 27″ wheels, fenders, chainguard, sprung saddle, tourist bars. It weighs in at a pretty reasonable 33lbs. It’s an incredibly comfy ride, and surprisingly fast.

I added Velo Orange racks front and rear. Though the geometry is not low-trail, I was encouraged by articles here and elsewhere to try a front porteur rack anyway, and I’m very glad I did. Initially, I thought I’d use it as a secondary rack on those occasions when I need to carry a little extra to/from work, for errands or shopping, etc. (and I do). But even when traveling light, being able to throw a regular old backpack or messenger bag on the front and strap it down is incredibly convienient. It hasn’t seen really heavy-duty loads yet, but thus far I haven’t experienced any issues with handling. Naturally, having the front rack was the perfect excuse for a Pletscher two-legged kickstand, and I added the wheel stabilizer for good measure.

Planet Bike flasher in the rear, and a USB CygoLite in the front – via the Gino Light Mount, which accepts the handlebar clamp (I have to mount the CygoLite upside-down, but the beam is uniform, so I don’t think it matters much). The bag is a Minnehaha Utility Pannier, which has D-rings for a shoulder strap, and is generally non-descript enough to be mistaken for an ordinary canvas messenger bag.

The tires are Michelin World Tour gumwalls, which – although labeled/spec’d as 27″x1 1/4″ – are considerably beefier than any other tire of this size. Anyone riding an older road bike with 27″ rims who’d like a slightly wider, more cushy tire would do well to give these a try. (Just be prepared to spend an extra few minutes wrestling them onto your rims.) They hold up well over city streets, have a classic look, and are quite inexpensive.

Speaking of which, after tallying up every dollar spent here, I’ve arrived at a grand total of $405.00 (excluding the front headlight and the bag – which I already had – but including absolutely everything else, from the bike itself down to the straps on the racks). In other words, over a single summer/fall of bike commuting whenever possible, the project has essentially paid itself off with respect to the cost of car/bus/train alternatives.

—Matthew

This is my Soma Stanyan I’ve been building since I got back from Iraq (see: “why I ride contest”), and also the first bike I’ve built from the ground up. I went with the Stanyan because it was a reasonable price for a lugged steel frame. Obligatory Brooks saddle (I didn’t know about Selle Anatomica at the time), downtube shifters, Cane Creek headset, Panasonic tires, lots of Velo Orange shiny things, and a Klean Kanteen rounds out the look. The handlebars are upside down Nitto Northroads to give the “path racer” stance and the crank is Sugino. At the time this photo was taken, I was still waiting for the chain to come in the mail… but I couldn’t wait to take a picture of her. Here in northern Japan it is difficult to find a local bike store that doesn’t just make Japanese-style bikes, so a lot of the work was done watching a YouTube instructional video and a wrench in hand. It’s been lots of fun and I’ve learned a lot from this project. Looking forward to building the next one!

Cheers,
Jake Dean

I built this bike based on the idea of the Sturmey Archer drum brake hubs and the plump tires. The moment I found the Super Course frame for sale, the project was launched. I used cable ties to experiment with cable routing, and when I had it all worked out, I took it to Mark Nobilette to remove the derailleur braze-ons and make custom braze-ons for the drum brakes and 5-speed IGH. He did a superb job, much better than what I asked for. I had it powder-coated, and it went together very smoothly in one day.

I use this to commute daily to work, and for recreation on paved and dirt roads. In a month or so, I plan to put Nokian Hakkapeliitta W106 700 x 35c tires on it for ice. It’s geared pretty low, with a 36t chainwheel and a 22t sprocket. The gears are as follows (numbered as Sturmey Archer numbers them, from high to low):

1. 70.69
2. 58.91
3. 44.18
4. 33.14
5. 27.61

At the moment I can ride comfortably up an 8% grade, and (painfully) up a 12% grade. The gears work well, now that I’ve learned to adjust them properly. The brakes are superb, the best I’ve ever used – quiet, powerful, and precise. I bought the sprung saddle at a garage sale, and it has been very comfortable. The bike weighs 29 lbs.

In the pictures, it looks as though the saddle is much higher than the handlebars. In fact, it is. Many of us who began riding when this Super Course was new, now prefer a more upright posture. But I am comfortable in the forward posture, and I like the fact that it reduces air resistance. They tell me that air resistance is proportional to the fourth power of your speed.

Parts:

• Frame: 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 23 1/2″
• Cranks: Sugino XD-700
• Bottom Bracket: Phil Wood steel spindle
• Pedals: Shimano M520 SPD
• Front Wheel:
• Sturmey Archer XL-FD hub with 90mm drum brake,
• Velocity Synergy symmetrical 700cx 23mm rim,
• 36 holes, spoked cross 3
• Rear Wheel:
• Sturmey Archer XL-RD5(w) 5-speed hub with 90mm drum brake,
• Velocity Synergy O/C 700c x 23mm rim,
• 36 holes, spoked cross 3
• Tires: Schwalbe Delta Cruiser 700 x 35c
• Fenders: Velo Orange fluted 49mm
• Headset: Tange Levin
• Stem: Pivo 90mm
• Handlebar: No-name alloy flat riser bars, WTB grips
• Brake Levers: Tektro FL-750
• Seatpost: Origin-8
• Saddle: Brooks Conquest
• Rack: 1988 Blackburn

Thanks for putting this on display!
David Haimson

[Visit our Bicycle Gallery page to add your bike to the collection. —ed.]

After retiring I was diagnosed with diabetes, and took up cycling, after a pause of 50 years to beat it. I became interested in cycle touring. I toured the Scottish Outer and Inner Hebrides and the Scottish highlands on an old Dawes Galaxy and a smooth tyred MTB. But I wanted something better.

Being a pensioner on a limited income meant I could not afford a big name purpose built touring bike. But I noticed that the English bike shop chain Halfords had a solid looking quality commuter bike for £300 ($480) that seemed as if it could be a good basis for a tourer. The Carrera Subway had a strong aluminium frame, 26″ wheels, a 24 ratio SRAM gear train giving a spread of 18″ to 92″ ideal for fully loaded touring. It had cable operated Tektro disc brakes, and on trying it, the frame geometry suited me perfectly. Adding mudguards (fenders?), a Topeak disc rack, Panaracer Pasela tyres and bottle cages was simple.

For my first tour on it I did 500 miles around Brittany France, including 100 miles on rough canal towpaths. I ride this bike most days in the Chiltern Hills 40 miles west of London and often take it for day tours to scenic places like the hilly Cotswolds, full of quaint villages of honey coloured stone houses , and the New Forest, the hunting ground of Tudor monarchs.

This year, I had saved up £250 and added butterfly bars, a Brooks Flyer saddle and replaced the no name wheels with handbuilt 36 spoke, Deore hubbed, Rigida Grizzlys fitted with a Shimano dynamo hub on the front to charge my smartphone. Later the bike took me on a camping tour of Normandy France including the D Day Invasion Beaches.

In all the bike has only cost me £700 ($1120), half or less of what a ready built high quality tourer costs. It weighs a hefty 34lbs all up, but its rock solid loaded and fantastically stable. I created a comfortable versatile rugged tourer and fitness bike that’s at home on tarmac or track at a bargain price.

I am very happy. You don’t have to pay a fortune for a decent bike, just use your nut!

Al
South Oxfordshire
England

[Visit our Bicycle Gallery page to add your bike to the collection. —ed.]

I ride a 2009 Rivendell Sam Hillborne. I can thank the old lady who didn’t see me for this bike. Her insurance paid for it as a replacement for my trusty Miyata 1000 that lasted little over 3 months before the crash. In a month or two, when my budget allows, I plan to finally get her fixed up to running capacity and maybe I’ll submit some pictures of her as well.

But right now, we are talking about my Sam. Despite being Rivendell’s budget bike, it’s the nicest, most expensive bike I’ve owned. Until my Miyata, I was a mountain biker, but I’ve since turned skittish of the dangerous trails I once traveled. But my love of cycling has not gone. And the Sam epitomizes my ride. I’ve fallen right in sync with Rivendell’s philosophies. Freeing my wheels with Grant and MKS’s wide and grippy new pedal, getting my handlebars above my saddle for a mixture of an athletic yet leisurely ride, friction shifting for that connected feeling to my bike. And my Sam can stake it all, along with the varying loads to and from work, the store, or anywhere else I deign to go.

I’ve also fallen in love with that throw back to older styles. With a couple Swiss Army Ammo carriers turned bike panniers, a Brooks B17 saddle and Brooks handlebar tape, hammered Honjo fenders, a Riv designed Keven’s style bag, and a good old CroMoly basket in front. And Rivendell lives up to the details. The beautiful lug work, the carefully selected paint and decals, and the perfectly set angles. It both looks good and feels good to ride.

Do I jump onto Rivendell’s site and long after the A. Homer Hilsen? Do I imagine going bike camping on the Altantis? Yes. But my Sam is already a perfect little slice of heaven.

— Jon

[Visit our Bicycle Gallery page to add your bike to the collection. —ed.]

[Kevin sent us this photo of his Raleigh Gran Sport. —ed.]

This picture shows my 1982 Raleigh Gran Sport acquired on eBay 2 years ago. I wanted a bike that echoed the ones I admired in the 60′s and 70′s; a Reynolds 531 steel framed, English classic. This ‘top end’ frame was built in the Special Products division alongside the race team bikes.

This Raleigh has been with me for a year and a half and I decided to rebuild it, not as a faithful restoration but as a base for a modern, reliable and effective day tourer. Here you see it in it’s penultimate form. I made some mistakes in choosing the cassette and crankset rendering the beautiful Nuovo Record rear derailleur obsolete. While it would reach across the 10 speed cassette it fouled the 29 cog with the sprocket cage. The bike now has a Daytona derailleur and works perfectly.

The frame was resprayed by our local metal sprayer, powder coated in a deep burgundy, the cream detailing I did with a spray can and Replica decals were obtained from H Lloyd in the UK.

The Campagnolo seat post, Cinelli Bars and Stem are original, as are the Gran Sport levers. The leather bar tape, bar end plugs and saddle came from Gilles Berthoud.

The original Weinman concave rimmed wheels were still in decent shape but are heavy and have old style cotter bearings which I did not want to keep servicing and so I fitted Mavic Aksium wheels, a Campag Centaur 10 speed cassette, bottom bracket and cranks. Token pedals and toeclips keep my feet comfy and a Velo Orange bottle cage finishes the bike nicely.

The picture was taken early one summer morning in the Surrey Hills at the top of Boxhill (only 600 feet in elevation, nothing too exigent). There is a cafe and National Trust exhibition centre there, much loved by the cycling community from all over the South east as a destination. Boxhill will be included in the 120 mile London Surrey cycle race that forms part of the preparations for the 2012 Olympics to be held in London.

Kevin

[Mitchell sent us these photos of his Kogswell. —ed.]

This is my Kogswell. It went to Natchez and Bonnaroo with me, it’s gone off countless jumps, and it’s been my daily commuter for two years. I never can remember all the parts, but here are a few highlights:

• Hand-built 650B front wheel with a Shimano dynamo hub
• Kogswell Frame (with extra stout tubing. I think it was a prototype. It’s 59cm)
• VO Porteur rack (Thanks to EcoVelo!)
• Half of a Dura Ace 7400 crankset (I cracked the left crank arm)
• Mismatched tires (one’s a cool Rivendell Rolly-Polly)
• One barend Silver shifter and one downtube Shimano shifter

Thanks!
Mitchell Connell

[Matthew sent us these photos of his Civia Bryant Alfine. —ed.]

Specifications

• Model: 2011 Civia Bryant Belt Alfine
• Frame/Fork: 58cm Chromoly
• Cranks: Civia Forged
• Front Pulley: Gates 50T
• Rear Pulley: Gates 24T
• Belt: Gates Carbon Drive 118T
• Rear Hub: Shimano IGH Alfine 8
• Front Hub: Alfine Dynamo (Upgraded @ purchase)
• Brakes: Avid BB7 Road (Upgraded @ purchase)
• Shift/Brake Levers: Versa VRS-8
• Headset: FSA Orbit
• Seatpost: Civia
• Handlebar: On One Mungo (Moustache)
• Stem: Civia 100mm
• Saddle: B-17 Narrow-Brown
• Pedals: Shimano PD-M324 Clipless/Clip Pedals
• Rims: Alex DH19 Disc
• Tires: Michelin City 700×32
• Rear Rack: Civia Market
• Fenders: VO Fluted (Custom Flat Grey Powder Coat)
• Headlight: Schmidt Edelux
• Tail Light: Busch & Muller Topline Plus (Rack Mount) / Spanninga Pixeo XBA Battery (Rear Fender Mount)
• Kickstand: Civia Double
• Bottle Cage: VO Retro
• Pannier: Bontrager Interchange Grocery Eco

[Andy sent us this write-up about his AHH. —ed.]

This build was originally going to be a simple 700c x 32 18-speed drop bar travel bike with S and S couplings. The idea started taking shape in October, 2010, intended for a 320+ mile tour along the UK Cycle Route 1 from Inverness to Edinburgh, scheduled for late June, 2011.

AHH Gravel Ready

By the time the bike was complete and on its way across the ocean it had morphed into this, an eclectic blend of past and present technologies. The ride is smooth, quick, responsive, nimble, predictable, and most of all fun!

Now back from Scotland, the AHH is my all-rounder of choice at our weekend home near the southeastern coast of Rhode Island.

AHH in the field – at rest on the Formartine and Buchan Way near Dyce, Scotland (fenders removed for airline transport)

I learned tons during this build, but nothing more important than how great it feels to be liberated from the comfort compromising, doubled over, forward leaning, head-first, race-influenced cycling posture of the road bike masses. Whether I ride 6, 16, or 60 miles, the AHH is well balanced and confidence inspiring… and at the end of the day my back, shoulders, and neck thank me.

—Andy

• Rivendell A. Homer Hilsen (58cm)
• S and S BTC coupling (Retrofit by Bilenky Cycle Works, Philadelphia)
• Velocity Dyad 650B 32h rims (Wheels laced by owner/operator)
• Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 16t (rear)
• Chris King Classic Hub (front)
• DT Swiss Competition Spokes
• Sugino XD2 Crankset, 170mm, 42t
• Velo Orange Bottom Bracket, 116mm
• Wipperman Connex 908 chain
• Paul Comp Racer Centerpull Brakes
• Soma New Xpress Panaracer Pasela Tourguard650B x 38mm (35 actual)
• Shimano Ultegra Headset
• Nitto Lugged Stem, 100mm
• Nitto Albatross Handlebar, 55cm
• SRAM Avid Speed Dial Brake Levers
• Nitto Slotted Brake Cable Hangers
• Rivendell Meisha’s Portuguese Cork Grips
• Speedplay Frog Pedals
• Brooks B67 Saddle, honey
• Velo Orange Setback Seatpost
• Velo Orange Hammered Alloy Fenders
• Carradice Pendle Saddlebag
• Carradice Bagman Sport Bag Support
• Brooks D-Shaped Tool Bag
• Greenfield Kickstand
• Soma Brass Bell
• Kleen Kanteen Water Bottles
• Cateye Strada Cycle Computer

AHH ridden hard – break time by an old stone wall near Stonehaven, Scotland

Daniel over at Pushing the Pedals sent me this photo of the Co-Motion Americano he built for his Dad. Specs as follows:

• Frame and Fork: Co-Motion Americano Rohloff dual disc w/belt opening and silver headbadge in tan
• Drivetrain: Rohloff Speedhub disc w/Gates carbon drive
• Brakes: Avid BB7 Mechanical disc
• Wheels: Rohloff/DT disc rear, Schmidt Sondelux/DT disc front with Schmidt Edelux headlight
• Deore crankset
• Brooks B17 champion special saddle
• Ergon GC3 Rohloff grips
• Tubus Logo rack
• Schwalbe Marathon Extreme 700x37c

More at Pushing the Pedals →